Crop Circles
by scifigeekgirl
Summary: Jake, TenII, Rose and kids are sent by Torchwood to visit a farm in Pennsylvania to investigate crop circles. Unfortunately, things go pear shaped & soon they find themselves trapped in a farm house in the middle of an alien invasion
1. Chapter 1

a/n: This is inspired by the movie Signs and contains some elements from that film. This could be considered part of my series, Time, Eternals and the Domestic Life although it's years in the future from the Preg Rose fics. So, basically I've written this one out of order. I promise I will get back to finish Rose's pregnancy stories and the birth of Jamie. Thanks to **who_in_whoville** for the kids' names and the title; and thanks to all of my Dalekian sistahs for listening to me ramble about this story for the past 24 hours. I sort of got obsessed about writing it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any elements or characters from the movie Signs

The white dusty road seemed to stretch on forever as the old blue 1976 Mustang Cobra slowly ambled its way down through the cornfields. The vibrant verdant stalks stretched upward in a sea of green on both sides of the road. The sweet scent of the fields filled the car and the buzzing of the crickets competed with Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman blaring from the car radio. Rose, her hair in braids stretched and hung her head out the window to breathe in the warm, fresh air.

The Doctor grinned as he watched her lean out the window, her pink t-shirt riding up slightly away from the waist of her worn denim shorts. They both were dressed for relaxing in the country. Of course, this was not a vacation. They were working undercover for Torchwood in the Pennsylvania farm country just outside of Philadelphia. The Doctor checked the rear view mirror to watch his son Jamie and his daughter Zoe oblivious to the bucolic setting around them, instead focused on their ipads. He sighed and shook his head thinking perhaps Rose was right and they did have their nose stuck in a book too much. Well, perhaps not a book per say, but recreation quantum physics was, he supposed, similar in concept.

Rose settled back on the black vinyl seat and grinned at him. "Isn't it beautiful?" she beamed. "Reminds me of that planet Festerooly."

"Festerulian," the Doctor corrected her, tapping his fingers against the black steering wheel as he remembered that trip with fondness. They had picnicked amongst the enormous flowers dipping their toes in a cool stream while enjoying sandwiches. Jamie had been only two then, his mind a little sponge absorbing everything around them and asking nonstop questions. It brought him great joy and made him fell young again to see how his son's eyes lit up and his inquisitive nature burst forth when the visited a new world.

Jamie, a miniature version of his father with brown spikey hair and molten brown eyes, looked up at the mention of the planet's name. "I remember that! There were giant yellow caterpillars who spun cities made of natural protein fibers with a density to withstand the intense mesoscale convective systems prevalent on that world."

Zoe looked over at him. "I don't recall visiting that planet?"

"You weren't born yet. Mum was gestating you," Jamie answered matter of factly. The two children proceeded to discuss the chemical structure of the silk the caterpillars spun as well as the planet's relative location in the galaxy.

The Doctor grinned at his brilliant children. Rose rolled her eyes. "Right, well this is Earth and we're all going to try and fit in here, yeah? So that means we don't discuss aliens around the humans here."

Jamie and Zoe exchanged looks and mischievous grins. They were well aware of how important it was to keep the family secret. Of course, that didn't mean they didn't enjoy showing off or trying to educate their teachers on how they had things all wrong. Their father often supported this and felt that human schooling was a waste for his brilliant offspring. Rose, on the other hand, made them apologize to their teachers, even if they were right. She wanted them to learn social skills and be able to relate to other people. Jamie and Zoe did their best to humor her as they knew that their Mum would take their side if they should happen to accidentally blow up their father's laboratory. They endeavored to always keep in their Mum's good graces. Just in case.

Rose glared at the conspiratorial grins being passed back and forth among her children and continued. "Our job is to figure out what's happenin' with the crops, and how and why these weird designs are appearin. Uncle Jake is already at the farm house gettin' things ready for us." Rose pulled out her mobile and looked at her messages. "There's been more crop circles showin' up all over the world in the past twenty four hours. We still can't detect or prove any alien involvement, but somethins definitely off."

"Crop circles," the Doctor scoffed. "More like mathematically precise designs. These are far more than some primitive circular pattern. The measurements are too precise and the design is far more intricate than humans of this era would create. The designs indicate four dimensional thinking."

"Like Time Lords?" Zoe asked, paying rapt attention to her father.

"No. That's impossible," the Doctor answered a bit sadly. Rose reached over and grasped the hand he had on the gear shift and squeezed. He looked back at her, his sunglasses slipping down his nose slightly and smiled. This right here, Rose and the children, was his world now, his forever and he wouldn't waste one second of it thinking about all that he lost and left behind.

They arrived at the house which was a typical old two story farm house built of slat and board painted white. It had a wrap around porch and old fashioned paned windows with black shutters. Jake was sitting on a rocking chair on the old front porch dressed in jeans and black t-shirt, his boot clad feet propped up on a rickety old table. He was swigging a bottle of beer as they drove up. As they pulled to a stop, he jumped up to greet them. The kids were dashing out of the car as soon as the Doctor turned off the ignition and tackled him. Jake grinned and swung Zoe up in his arms and ruffled Jamie's hair.

"Oi, whadda we have here? Looks like some wild brilliant part aliens runnin' amok in the cornfields!"

"Uncle Jake, we certainly are not running amok," Jamie informed him.

"Quite right. We run with purpose. Don't we Daddy," Zoe said and looked at her father who was carrying their luggage into the house.

"That we do. All settled in Jakey?" the Doctor asked, a grin lighting his face.

Jake shook his head when he looked at the rucksack and single suit case he carried. "That all you brought for the whole family?"

Rose walked up and planted a kiss on Jake's cheek. "Dimensionally transcendental, Jake. You know us. So, find anything out yet?" she asked, as she looked around and peeked into the house.

Jake raised an eyebrow, but was not phased by Rose's comment. He'd known them long enough that comments like that didn't surprise him anymore. He walked into the house, setting Zoe down and smiled as the kids ran up the stairs to go explore. The Doctor had dropped their luggage in the living room and went into the kitchen. When they found him, he was standing in front of the refrigerator with the door open peering at the contents. It was a little amusing to see the Doctor dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with an oxford partially buttoned up over it. He still had on his trainers though.

Rose saw Jake checking out the Doctor's arse in the jeans which fit him like a glove and which she had, after much cajoling, convinced him to wear. She bumped her shoulder with Jake and grinned. "And it only took me six years to get 'im into the denim," she said to him with a cheeky grin. Jake grinned back at her.

"You don't look so bad yourself. Sort of like Daisy May from that old American television show," Jake shot back teasingly.

Rose giggled and played with one of her braids. The Doctor turned around, bottle of citrus Vitex in hand and leaned against the counter watching Rose. He kept thinking how adorable she looked with the braids, tight t-shirt and almost obscenely low cut, ripped denim shorts she wore showing her long tan legs. Although not willing to confess to having such thoughts, he couldn't help but think about playing a bit of the farmer and his naughty farm girl that night.

Jake jumped up on the counter, dangling his denim clad legs and took another swig of beer. "I ran more scans and haven't found anything. I mean in the crop symbol itself, there are energy readings, like in all the others, but it's so faint. It's like whatever is doin' it is erasin' any trace of itself."

"Nothing can erase all of it's energy residue. Everything leaves some trace. Whoever is doing this is just being very clever, masking what they are doing," the Doctor said, beginning to pace. "Rose, let me see the latest data."

Rose handed over her phone and grabbed the Doctor's Vitex and took a sip. The Doctor put on his brainy specs and began tapping away on her phone. Suddenly he yelled, "Ha! Gotcha!"

"Wot?" Rose asked, leaning against the counter near Jake. "You find something?"

"Of course, I found something. Time Lord, me! Not like very many species even come close to my mind," he announced, pleased with himself.

Jake and Rose just looked at each other and rolled their eyes. They were used to the Doctor's ego by now. "So, what is it?" Jake asked.

"Oh, don't know what the species is, but I do know how they're doing it and what it means. They're using a controlled burst of electromagnetic energy. The patterns in the fields are signals and more worrisome, it's a countdown."

"A countdown," Jake asked, concerned now.

"What kind of countdown? Are they here already?" Rose asked.

"I know they're here. They probably sent scouts to observe and report back to the main fleet. They're the ones making the symbols. It's a visual aid meant to be seen from the atmosphere. Probably, to direct their ships."

"Oh my God, it's an invasion," Jake whispered in horror. "We've got to do something. We need to contact Torchwood now."

Rose looked worriedly up the stairs thinking about her kids and how she wished they were home where they could shove them in the Tardis. Why oh why did they travel here without the Tardis. The Doctor sensed her concern and walked over and embraced her.

"I've already sent word to Torchwood. They'll pass along the information and put the planet on alert," he told Jake. He looked down at Rose. "Don't worry. We'll be all right. I'll never let anything happen to you or the children. You know that, right?" he whispered to her.

She looked up into his ancient brown eyes, smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I do. Just don't want you to have to is all."

"What's next?" Jake asked.

"We need to identify the species so we know what measures to take. It is possible we can negotiate with them," the Doctor explained, still holding Rose.

"Negotiate? They've been sneakin' around planning' something for ages!" Jake shouted. "If they wanted to be friendly, I think they'd 'ave talked to us first."

"Not necessarily. They may not want to involve themselves in the indigenous species. Might just want to borrow some resources. Or, they could be a bit skittish of being blown out of the sky. Earth does have a bit of a reputation for being violent."

Rose nodded thinking about the Sycorax in her home universe. "The Doctor's right. They could be tryin' to avoid dealin' with us directly. Still…I dunno. I just have a bad feelin' It's not like we haven't sent out probes and messages. If they're watchin, they know we're suspicious of what's happenin."

"I'll tell you why, it's 'cos they're hostile that's why!" Jake insisted.

"We don't know that!" the Doctor snapped. "I won't support a shoot first, ask questions later policy. I won't, Jake," the Doctor insisted.

"No one's suggetsin' that," Rose said, trying to mediate between the two opinionated men.

"Mum." Zoe said from the doorway. Rose looked over at her daughter dressed in trainers, jeans and sparkly pink t-shirt. Her hazel eyes were filled with worry. Rose walked over and embraced her.

"What is it Zo Zo?" Rose asked, using her nickname and straightening the bows holding her brown braids in place.

"Jamie found something. Daddy, it sounds like a derivation of an insectoid species verbal communication," she said in her soft four year old voice.

The adults raced up the stairs to the bedroom that was set up for the children. Rose held Zoe in her arms as the Doctor knelt before Jamie who stood stiffly, holding a baby monitor in his hands and staring out the window at the corn field. The sounds coming from the baby monitor consisted of clicks, chirps and some eerie moaning. The Doctor pried the baby monitor from Jamie's hand. He pulled out his sonic and pressed it to the device. The sounds became clearer and louder.

Jake felt his skin prickle and pulled aside one of the wispy white cotton curtains to stare outside. It was a sunny, cloudless day. It looked like something out of a painting with the blue sky set off by the tall green cornfield blowing in the gentle breeze. Jake felt the adrenaline begin to pump as he thought about all the things that could be hiding in that cornfield. He turned to the Doctor.

"What is it?" he asked tersely.

The Doctor stared at the baby monitor. "Primitive signals. They're using primitive signals. We were looking for something more advanced," he whispered. "They're here now."

"Why can't we detect them?" Rose asked hugging Zoe to her.

"They're clever and hiding. Some type of perception filter technology maybe." He looked over at Jamie and then out the window. He breathed in and out and stretched out his Time Lord senses. There. He could just barely discern something was there. The noise on the baby monitor stopped abruptly. Everyone in the room was silent.

"Are they gone?" Zoe asked, calmly and was probably the calmest person in the room.

"No," the Doctor and Jamie said simultaneously. The Doctor smiled at his son who walked over and wrapped himself around one of his father's legs.

"They're here but they've moved away from the house. Perhaps to lay low for a while. They know we're aware of them."

"How the bloody 'ell do they know that?" Jake demanded, itching for a weapon in his hand.

"Well, they stopped when they felt my presence," the Doctor answered. He looked over at Rose and the children. "I don't want anyone in the cornfields. Understood?"

Rose nodded her head. Jamie looked from his father to the cornfield. "Jamie," the Doctor said in a serious voice.

Jamie turned to him and nodded his head. "Yes Dad, understood."

"Right, well let's get settled in shall we?" the Doctor announced with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

Rose took his cue and corralled the children downstairs to get their things unpacked. The Doctor pulled Jake aside and they made plans to secure the house and set up some more monitoring equipment. While Jake made a call to Torchwood, the Doctor walked out the cornfield. He looked around the area and was unhappy that the house was literally surrounded by tall thick cornfields with only the bumpy single lane dirt road the only access or exit from the area. He walked up to the line of corn and ran his hand over the stalks. "I know you're there," he whispered as he took a step into the corn.

Rose watched from the window as the Doctor disappeared into the corn and swore under her breath. She noticed the room was silent and turned around to see Zoe standing behind her staring at her with wide soulful eyes the same color as her mother's.

"I dreamed this," she said quietly. She cocked her head to the side and blinked. "The corn isn't singing and the scarecrow ran away."

Rose stared at Zoe. Her daughter may be a little girl but she was far more in tune with the universe than almost anyone she knew, even the Doctor. Sometimes, she was afraid for her, that it was too much for a child to bear, but then she remembered, she was part Time Lord. Time Lord genes tended to be dominant and her brain was nothing like a humans. She may look like a little girl but she was far more advanced intellectually. Rose knelt down before her. "Zo Zo, is Daddy in danger?"

Zoe looked at her and bit her lip. "He's Daddy," was all she said solemnly and then snapped out of whatever had taken hold of her. "Can I get a drink of water?"

Rose smiled. "Yeah, sure. We'll go downstairs and take a look in the kitchen and see what we can make for dinner." As Rose walked out, she saw Jamie staring out the window "Jamie?"

He turned and looked at her. "Dad said we shouldn't go in the corn."

"Yeah, he did. He meant you, Zoe and me."

"But, it's not right. What if they hurt him?" Jamie asked, clearly unhappy.

"Your Dad's too smart for that and besides, if he gets in any trouble, we're here to rescue him now aren't we?" Jamie nodded and reluctantly followed her downstairs.

In the kitchen, she put the kids to work looking up recipes, or finding cooking utensils while she stared out the window at the cornfield worrying about the Doctor. She closed her eyes and thought to him. "Please be safe. Remember, you promised forever." Zoe tugged at t-shirt and produced her ipad to show her a recipe for spaghetti and meat sauce. Rose smiled. "Thanks, Zo Zo."

When the Doctor stepped into the cornfield, he was completely enveloped by the tall stalks of corn. It was like stepping into another world so completely surrounded by the tall stalks of green, the only sound the rustle of the leaves and the chirping of the crickets with the occasional tinkling of the wind chimes from the house. He could understand how humans would become a bit claustrophobic and panic at being lost in the corn stalks.

He reached up and pulled a stalk back to reveal an ear of corn enveloped in silky creamy colored fibers. He peeled it as he walked through the field, all his senses attuned to the area around him. He mused that a cornfield could be a spooky place for someone without his sensory perception. It would be all too easy to get lost amongst the rows. The green leafy stalks were at least a foot taller than him and you couldn't see very far in front or behind you. Eventually he reached a cut through between fields. He took a bite of the raw golden corn fresh off the stalk and munched on it while he walked down the break between fields. He stopped when he sensed something moving in the field to the left of him.

It was stealthy and he was sure it was bipedal. The wind picked up and the stalks rustled and whispered. A crow cawed behind him. He walked forward and heard a dog barking. He walked into the corn again quickly making his way toward the barking dog. Suddenly, he heard the dog cry and whimper. He threw the corn he was holding down and ran, winding his way through the corn, bending the stalks out of his way as they whipped at his body. He burst out suddenly into an area where all the corn was bent in a round pattern. It was one of the so called "crop circles" There was a prone body of a german shepherd, laying amongst the damaged stalks. He looked around but saw no evidence as to what harmed the dog. He slowly approached the collapsed animal and noticed it was having difficulty breathing and was trembling.

He knelt down by it's side and it growled at him before whining again. "Easy now," he whispered as he pulled out his sonic and scanned the dog. He stiffened when he heard something running through the corn toward him. It sounded good sized and in a hurry. He whipped around sonic held ready, tensed and prepared to take action. When Jake burst out hand gun at the ready, the Doctor first breathed a sigh of relief and then tensed up in righteous indignation that Jake had a gun at all.

"Jake!" he shouted.

"Doctor, what the 'ell are you doin' out here? I thought we agreed no one goes wanderin' out in the fields alone," Jake chastised, scanning the area for anything that looked hostile.

"And I thought I made clear no guns," the Doctor snipped, before turning back to the dog.

Jake ignored him, holstered his weapon and walked over to where the Doctor knelt. "What happened to 'im?"

The Doctor scratched at the side of his head. "He's been poisoned and tossed around a bit. I think I can help him if we get him back to the house."

A gust of wind blew through the corn and several crows flew over head away from the field. Jake looked around nervously. "This crop circle is fresh."

The Doctor nodded his head and scanned the corn, which as the sun set, was taking on a more ominous feel. "Yeah, it is. I think we should get Fred here back to the house."

"Fred?" Jake asked.

The Doctor grinned and inclined his head toward the dog. Jake looked questioningly at the dog. "How do ya know it's name is Fred?"

The Doctor grinned broadly as he picked Fred up. "Well, Jakey, I'm just that good. Come along, now. Let's leave our alien friends alone. Plenty of time to figure them out tomorrow."

Jake stared into the corn field, obviously uncomfortable and then followed the Doctor. "Just that good," Jake muttered. "Next thing, he'll be tellin' me he speaks dog."

"Oi, it's not like dog is hard!" the Doctor called out over his shoulder.

Jake just stared at his back and muttered, "Nutter."


	2. Chapter 2

a/n: This is inspired by the movie Signs and contains some elements from that film. This could be considered part of my series, Time, Eternals and the Domestic Life although it's years in the future from the Preg Rose fics. So, basically I've written this one out of order. I promise I will get back to finish Rose's pregnancy stories and the birth of Jamie. Thanks to **who_in_whoville** for the kids' names and the title; and thanks to all of my Dalekian sistahs for listening to me ramble about this story for the past 24 hours. I sort of got obsessed about writing it.

Warning: Cursing at the end of this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any elements or characters from the movie Signs

After the Doctor, along with assistants Jamie and Zoe, settled Fred in the barn and treating his injuries, all of them settled in for a dinner of salad, spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread which Rose and Jake had cooked. Dinner conversation around the table was focused on agriculture in the area and corn in particular. The Doctor babbled on about all the uses for corn along with the history of it's germination in American culture. The children listened intently to their father, spouting off their own facts about American history in response to the Doctor's lecture.

Rose and Jake just watched in amazement as the kids tried to out babble the Doctor. Rose was happy to let them play this game and not focus on what lay outside in the dark cornfields. She had a feeling that things were about to get intense and any reprieve was welcome.

Jake turned the telly on after dinner and everyone piled onto the couch in the living room. It was a fairly basic room with hard wood floors, throw rugs, a couch a few chairs and tables and some pictures on the walls. The home belonged to a farmer who was off visiting his son who played baseball in the minor leagues. Some baseball memorabilia decorated the walls including pictures of the boy dressed in his uniform, plaques and a baseball bat that was awarded to him at the end of a game where he had set a record.

As Jake settled into the cushy denim sofa, moving some pillows aside and aiming the remote at the television, Zoe curled up next to him, ipad in her hands. Jake smiled down at her as he flipped channels. Unfortunately, all channels seemed to be covering the crop circles. The children were watching periodically but still seemed focused on whatever educational programs the Doctor had loaded onto their ipads.

Rose and Jake's mobiles rang simultaneously, startling everyone in the darkened room lit only by the television and one dim lamp. The Doctor looked up from tinkering with his sonic and watched Rose's face grow more and more intense. Soon, an emergency broadcast was interrupting the television news program. The news announcer showed pictures of several cigar shaped lights which now hovered above over twenty five major metropolitan cities throughout the globe. The news reporter was theorizing that they had been there during the day but were cloaked and only showed up at night due to an unusual glow they emitted.

"This is very not good," the Doctor said, adjusting his glasses and turning to Rose. "Torchwood?" he asked.

"They're pretty stunned and that's not something Torchwood is ever. Whatever these creatures are, we couldn't detect them until now. It's like they decided they want us to know they're here now," Rose said, staring at the television.

"Or, they just don't' care if we know," Jake said, looking worried. "I don't like it."

The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose. "Think, think, think," he chastised himself. "Cloaking technology, poison, insectoid verbal communication, symbols carved into fields. What does it mean?"

Another news report began. This one claiming there was a video of the creatures. Jake swore under his breath. "How the bloody 'ell does the media have this when we don't!" he demanded. Rose bit her thumb nail nervously as she watched.

It was a family home video taken in Mexico at a children's birthday party. All of them, including Zoe and Jamie leaned closer to the television watching raptly as the video showed children inside a home running from window to window. "Come on, come on," Jake shouted at the television. "Move out of the way and show us!" he cried.

The Doctor looked at him and then Rose. "Is American television interactive?" he asked cheekily, winking at Jake who glared at him. They turned back to the television when the children on the screen screamed. Soon the camera focused in on a bipedal creature that stood as tall as a human with a mottled green, gray and brownish skin. It was slightly hunched and although moved on two legs seemed to have a lumbering gate. It's head was more repetition like with two eyes, no ears and a mouth. The group on the couch jumped back, startled. The Doctor knelt by the television to get a better look. "Look at you," he said softly, almost touching the television screen.

"That doesn't look insectoid, Dad. It's almost like a chameleon," Jamie pronounced.

"Quite right," the Doctor acknowledged. "That's exactly what they've been using to avoid detection. It's why we couldn't see them in the corn field."

"Do you know who they are?" Rose asked.

"Well, in our universe there was a species that looked a lot like them, but different universe and everything could be some variation here," he said, staring at the still picture being shown on the television. The Doctor stared intently and rubbed his chin thinking about what this could mean and hoping it wasn't what he thought.

Rose knelt by him. "Doctor?" she asked and put a hand on his shoulder. He turned and gazed into her eyes, sensing her worry. He smiled and cupped her face. "No worries. Nothing we can't handle," he tried to convince her.

Rose knew that tone of voice. When the Doctor said those words in that tone, it was time to worry. She nodded in a silent acknowledgment of exactly what he would not voice. She looked at the children staring at their father and wished her family was a little less telepathic and empathic. Despite best efforts to keep thoughts private, invariably, the children always seemed to get an inkling of what was going on. A creaking noise sounded and everyone tensed staring up at the ceiling.

"It's all right. Just the house settling. The wood's reacting to the change in temperature and humidity. You know, wood expands and contracts with temperature variations," he said, trying to convince them that the creaking noise was nothing to worry about. They all stared at him disbelieving. "Oookkaaay, know what? I think we've had quite a day of it. Upstairs both of you and get ready for bed," he instructed the children.

"But Daaaaaaad," they both whined. "We can help figure out the aliens! We want to investigate!"

"Yeah, well you can do that in morning after some rest. Now shift," Rose told them in her best stern mother voice. Jamie rolled his eyes and pouted his way up the stairs. Zoe looked at them with wide eyes much older than her physical age. "Mummy knows how to swing," she whispered and looked at the stairs where her brother was sulking. She bit her lip and quietly ran after him. "Please don't leave me Jamie," she said to him as they walked up the stairs.

Rose looked at the Doctor. "What was that about?"

He watched his children leave. "Some telepathic residual thoughts she's picking up. I'll have to work with her on filtering stray thoughts," he said, but Rose was not convinced. Her maternal instincts were screaming at her that her little Zo Zo was not spouting anything random. It was important. She'd been a bit off all day, seemingly day dreaming or wrinkling her nose at the water in the house. Even during dinner, she kept saying the water here was bad. Rose had been worried but the Doctor assured her the water was fine and it was just that Zoe was sensing variations in the tap water that she didn't like. Still, it wasn't like her daughter to act quite this odd.

Jake stood up and began pacing, periodically looking at the darkened windows. "Anything tries to get in this house, the flood lights will go off and an alarm will sound."

"Thanks, Jake," Rose said softly, listening to the tinkling of the wind chimes outside. She was still unnerved but was confident that they could all handle anything that popped up in the night.

"Right, I think we've all had enough telly. Let's check all the windows and doors just for peace of mind and settle in shall we?" the Doctor suggested to try and calm Rose and Jake who were ready to jump at their own shadow.

They both nodded. "Doctor," Rose said as the trio checked the windows. "You never said what you thought those things are?"

Jake paused and looked over at him. The Doctor finished sonicing the window and looked over at both of them. "I can't be sure," he said softly.

"Please tell us," Rose asked.

"In our universe, creatures that looked like that were profiteers and mercenaries. They worked the black market and sold illicit products not sanctioned by the Shadow Proclamation."

"What sort of products?" Jake asked, a sick feeling coming over him at all the things he could envision and all being very bad.

"Drugs, weapons and…" the Doctor recited and paused. "People."

"People," Rose whispered. "You mean slaves. They sold people for money," Rose stated, horrified.

"They would scavenge primitive worlds where the Shadow Proclamation didn't have a presence. When they were caught, the punishment was death. The Shadow Proclamation had a zero tolerance for slavers harvesting primitive civilizations," the Doctor explained and stared out the window.

"I'm callin' Torchwood," Jake told them and walked out of the room, clearly upset.

Rose walked over to the Doctor and wrapped her arms around him. He held her tightly to him. "I promise, we'll figure this out," he told her and kissed the crown of her head. She looked up into his eyes worried not just for them but for all the people on Earth.

Later that night, Rose and the Doctor had curled up together on a small double bed with fresh white linens and an old fashioned brass headboard. Rose's hair was still in braids and she was wearing a light white cotton vest with tiny pink flowers over it and matching knickers. The Doctor had on Tardis blue jim jam bottoms and was leaning over nuzzling Rose's neck. She smiled and giggled. "Doctor, we can't," there are aliens about and the children are right down the hall.

"There's an alien about in bed with you and he's been having wicked thoughts ever since he saw you in the short shorts and braids," he growled into her ear and nipped at her earlobe. He wrapped an arm around her middle pulling her closer to him and she set her hand on his caressing his knuckles.

"Mmmm," she hummed in appreciation. "Maybe I should wear this outfit more often, huh,"

"Definitely," he said as he peppered her neck with kisses.

"But, we can't tonight. It's not like on the Tardis. These walls are thin and the kids'll hear us."

"I can be quiet," he retorted, pausing his exploration of her neck. "Now, you may not be able to contain yourself by the time I'm done…."

"Doctor," Rose interrupted in a no nonsense tone.

He pouted. "Just a little snuggle with a touch of snogging," he said looking down at her in the dark. She stared up at him grinning at the outline of his face in the dark and just making out his waggling eyebrows.

"Thin walls,"' Rose repeated. Just then, they heard a bang and a string of expletives sounding.

The Doctor sighed and rolled over, staring at the door. "Jake," he muttered.

"Told ya. Thin walls," Rose sing songed.

The Doctor let out a loud sigh and turned back to her. "Cuddle then?"

Rose smiled and cuddled up to him and they both eventually drifted off to sleep. The Doctor didn't sleep for long though. Although his eyes were closed, he really didn't need as much sleep, even as a Time Lord human metacrisis. He flipped over suddenly feeling Zoe in the room. She stood at the side of the bed staring at him.

"Everything all right Zo Zo?" he asked softly so as not to wake up Rose.

"There's an alien outside my room can I have a glass of water?" Zoe said, in a serious little girl voice.

The Doctor's eyes widened, he sat up abruptly and vaulted out of the bed. "Stay with your mother," he ordered Zoe as he bolted out the door barefoot dressed only his jim jam bottoms.

"Zo Zo?" Rose asked sleepily. Zoe crawled in bed with Rose and looked at the window. Rose felt the Doctor's panicked state and was immediately awake. "Oh shit," she muttered and then looked guiltily at Zoe. "You didn't hear me say that," she said as she gathered Zoe into her arms.

"Are you dreaming too?" Zoe asked her. Rose held her tighter

The Doctor burst into the children's bedroom. Jamie sat up. "Dad?" he asked sleepily.

Relieved that Jamie was all right, the Doctor stared at the window and slowly approached it when something leapt by the window in front of him. He took a step back. "Jamie, go to your mother now!" he ordered.

Jamie felt his father's tension and hopped out of bed and ran to Rose and Zoe. The Doctor bolted toward the stairs calling out for Jake. Jake, dressed only in pants and a t-shirt ran out following the Doctor who had his sonic out. "They're here," the Doctor told him.

"Here? Are the kids safe?" Jake asked, now completely awake and running for a weapon. The Doctor glared at him. "I don't care what you think Doctor! I'm not goin' out there unarmed."

"The children are with Rose," he said and decided it wasn't worth the time to argue with Jake about his gun. He unlocked the door and they slowly exited. The Doctor motioned for Jake to circle around the house. Jake nodded as the Doctor carefully locked the door behind them. It was pitch black outside with only starlight to guide them. Jake tripped and cursed about being barefoot as he walked around the house looking for aliens.

The Doctor was far stealthier. He could feel the presence of the alien and was sure it was just one. He stretched out with all his senses and could just make out the popping and clicking sound made by the alien. He soon passed the tinkling wind chimes as the cool breeze blew gently through the corn. Soon he saw Jake approaching from the opposite direction. They looked at each other and heard a scrabbling noise. Both looked up just as something leapt off the roof, startling them and quickly scampered into the corn.

Again, Jake swore. "That was one of 'em on the roof?"

"Yeah," the Doctor responded, very unhappy that it had been looking at his children. "thet're watching us." The Doctor heard running in the corn field and backed up toward the house. "Let's get back inside."

Jake who was nervous thinking about how many of them could be hiding in the cornfield, agreed with him and they both slowly made their way back inside, each nervously watching the corn fields that surrounded the house. Once inside, Jake proclaimed, "I don't like this. We need to leave tomorrow and get back to Torchwood."

"I want to take more readings in the morning before we go," the Doctor said, agreeing with him.

"Yeah sure," Jake said, nodding. He settled down on the sofa and put the safety on his weapon. "Don't think I'll be gettin' much sleep tonight. Go on up and check on Rose and the kids. I'll just bed down here on the sofa," Jake said and stared at the door nervously.

The Doctor nodded. "I'll be upstairs if you need anything."

He arrived upstairs to find Rose with the children snuggled up to her in bed. Her own sonic screwdriver was in her hand. She looked nervously at him and Zoe and Jamie raised their eyes to his.

"It's all right. It's gone now. No worries," he assured them and crawled in bed sandwiching Zoe and Jamie between he and Rose. "Oooo, let's have us a little slumber party just like we did on that camping trip to Pellec II. Remember that? We toasted marshmallows. Welll, maybe not marshmallows exactly, but they were marshmallow like."

"Daddy, that was fungus," Zoe said, peeping out from under the covers next to Rose who smiled and kissed her on the head. The Doctor scratched his head looking perplexed.

"She's right. It was fungus," Rose told him with an arched brow.

"Yes welll, it was still…"

"Are they gone, Dad?" Jamie asked, although he sounded like he already knew the answer.

"For now, yes. Uncle Jake is staying downstairs for the night to keep an eye on things."

"They'll be back," Zoe said affirmatively.

"Maybe, but not tonight so let's all try and get some rest," the Doctor said trying to assure the children.

"Yeah, I'm sure we'll have a lot to do tomorrow," Rose agreed and settled the children in for the night. She looked over at the Doctor and reached her hand across to his rubbing her thumb across the top of his hand.

"Get some sleep," he whispered.

"I love you," Rose whispered back. He leaned over and kissed her gently so as not to disturb the children. They lay down and closed their eyes but neither of them slept much.

The next morning after breakfast the children were up and running around outside with Fred the dog who seemed mostly recovered. The Doctor was outside with a new scanner he designed that as he told Rose "Dinged when there was stuff." Rose was on the phone with Torchwood discussing strategy and planning for different contingencies. Jake walked in and slammed the door behind him.

"They bloody well sabotaged both cars," Jake yelled and slammed several cupboard doors before grabbing a beer from the refrigerator and slamming that door too.

Rose reported their situation and was told to hang tight. She rang off and walked over and leaned on the counter next to Jake as he was staring angrily across the room. "They're not comin' for us are they," he said.

"They can't. Not enough resources with all the alien ships hangin' about."

Jake turned to her. "We're on our own here."

"Yeah," Rose said softly looking around the kitchen at the windows and thinking how vulnerable this wooden house with its doors and windows was.

"We're miles from anywhere. Even if we leave now, we'll be stuck out in the open surrounded by corn fields. We need to bunker down here," Jake said, beginning to plan.

The Doctor bounded in the house. "What happened to the vehicles?" he asked after observing the hoods propped up.

"Whadda you think," Jake snipped at him.

"Torchwood can't spare any resources to get us. They're too busy trying to figure out what to do with what's happenin' all round the world. People are scared. The various country's militaries couldn't even put a dent in those ships."

"They attacked," the Doctor spit out, disgusted with this strategy.

"Some did, yeah, against Torchwood's and UNIT's recommendations. All they did was rain burning missiles and planes down on the people below," Rose said sadly. The Doctor paced back and forth gripping his hair in frustration.

"Look, there's nothin' we can do 'bout what's goin' on out there. We have to focus on us here," Jake reminded them. "We have to secure the house."

The Doctor stopped pacing and looked at Jake. "You're right. If my calculations are correct, tonight is the end of their countdown."

"And then what happens?" Rose asked, nervously playing with one of her braids.

The Doctor just stared seriously at her. "Oh Gawd," she whispered and looked out the window at her children playing. She turned back to the Doctor and Jake. "I'm not gonna just stand here and let some evil alien mercenaries enslave my planet or threaten my kids! Nobody threatens my kids!" she announced, a hint of steel in her voice.

The Doctor smiled at her. His Rose wouldn't be cowed by anyone. She was truly a defender of the Earth and he wouldn't disappoint her. "Hand me your mobile," he asked Rose. "I want to talk to Torchwood. I've not had many encounters with this species but, in our universe they are sensitive to temperature. They'll stick to the warmer climates. We can use that to our advantage."

"How is that gonna help us? We're in Pennsylvania in the summer during a heat wave. It hasn't rained 'ere in weeks and it's not gonna suddenly snow!" Jake insisted, clearly agitated.

"No, but might be able to cobble together something to make them uncomfortable," the Doctor replied. Rose handed him the phone and he walked off talking to Pete about options. Rose and Jake looked at each other nervously.

"Come on," she said to Jake. "Let's get some wood and start boarding up the windows. He nodded and followed her out. They spent the rest of the day boarding up the house. When Jamie and Zoe saw them, they stopped their exploration of the area around the barn and turned to the field. Rose watched them holding hands and just staring out at what she now considered the ominous ocean of corn blowing in the breeze. She called them over to her. "Jamie, Zo Zo, wanna give Uncle Jake and me a hand?"

They nodded and began hunting through the barn for more nails or running into the house to bring out cold drinks. It was very hot and dry. Jake had taken off his shirt and worked in just jeans, boots and a bandana wrapped around his head. Rose had changed into some shorts and t-shirt. Both of them were damp from perspiration and beginning to burn in the sun. The Doctor came out and joined them to finish up before sundown.

The Doctor ordered Rose in the house when he noticed her stumbling from the heat. She nodded and went inside to think about dinner for all of them. As she walked through the house, she couldn't help but notice several half finished glasses of water sitting about. She sighed at her family's messy habits of just leaving things laying about. Zoe stood beside her.

Rose raised an eyebrow at her. "You usin' every glass in the house? Won't be any left for anyone to have a drink with dinner."

She looked up at Rose solemnly. "It tasted wrong."

"And, sittin' there is gonna make it better?" Rose asked. Zoe just stared at her. Rose sighed. "Right. Come on then, you can help me decide on dinner." Zoe smiled and grabbed Rose's hands and they walked into the kitchen.

Dinner that night was chili and cornbread. Everyone was quiet in the darkened house. The sun was just starting to set but with the windows boarded up, the house had a closed in stale feel to it. Rose looked at her children who had secreted their beloved ipads in their laps while they ate dinner despite Rose's no gadgets at the dinner table rule. Jamie's face scrunched in displeasure and he looked over at his father who was lost in thought staring blankly across the room.

"Dad, I can't connect to the Tardis," he said and looked back at his ipad. The Doctor sat up and stared at him.

"That shouldn't be possible," the Doctor murmured looking at his son. "That device should get a signal any where in the universe and throughout time."

Rose looked over at him. "Is it..?" she asked without finishing her sentence but indicating the aliens presently skulking in the corn fields.

"Could be or it could be a side effect of their technology."

Jake pulled out his phone and looked over at them. "No signal. We're on our own."

Silence descended and the only sound heard while the sun set was the chirping of crickets and the slight tinkling of the wind chimes. Even the birds were silent.

After dinner, they tried the television but again, could not receive a signal. They sat in the dark living room, lit only by the one lamp. "Should we turn out the lights?" Jake asked.

"They already know we're here," the Doctor replied. He could see the concerned faces of his family and decided to distract the children with a game of intergalactic I Spy. "I spy with my Time Lord eye a gaseous world of swirling amber and scarlet in a binary star system inhabited by a species of ephemeral beings who enjoy surfing tornadic winds," the Doctor said with a sly grin at Rose. The children were furiously discussing the possibilities and shouting out answers.

Jake shook his head. "Bloody weird alien games," he said and looked at Rose. "Guess, it all seems normal to you?"

Rose just smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Soon, darkness fell and they began to hear strange noises outside. Jake tensed up and made sure his gun was ready. Rose stared at the door and windows as she heard something outside scuffling on the porch. Something banged against the window and they all jumped. Rose gathered the children close to her and pulled out her own sonic while Jake and the Doctor stood on either side of her, tensed and ready.

Loud banging continued on various windows, the door, the walls and soon it began coming from the roof. "Easy," the Doctor told them, trying to keep everyone as calm as possible. They heard the sound of wood breaking and a thump.

Jake cursed. "They're in the attic!" he shouted.

Rose looked up the stairs and saw the attic entrance. "Doctor! The attic door!" she shouted and pointed.

"Everyone in the cellar! Now!" he commanded herding them all downstairs. Soon they were huddled on the dirt floor of the cellar, the only light a single bulb hanging from a wire attached to the wood ceiling. Zoe and Jamie were clinging to Rose while the Doctor and Jake secured the door. "Jake, I need something to brace the door."

"What about the sonic?" Jake asked as he looked around the cellar.

"It doesn't fuse wood," the Doctor answered as he leaned against the door and held the knob as the aliens banged around the house upstairs. All too soon they were trying to get into the cellar. "Jake," the Doctor called out. Jake shoved a heavy trunk over and then more boxes which he stacked on top propping them all against the door. In the process, he hit the light bulb which swung wildly back and forth casting frightening shadows around the dirty, musty cellar which was stacked with all forms of bric a brac. Soon the light died and they were in absolute darkness.

"Doctor," Rose whispered.

"I'm here. It's all right. They can't get in," he assured her while guarding the door next to Jake.

Rose turned her sonic on it's torch setting and looked down at the children. Jamie looked up at her, his face smudged with some dirt from the cellar. Zoe just stood stiff and still and stared at the door. Rose knelt down. "Zo Zo, you all right?" she asked softly. Zoe didn't respond. She didn't barely even blink.

"Doctor, somethins wrong with Zoe," Rose called out.

Jamie knelt next to Zoe and whispered comforting things into her ear but she still didn't respond. He looked up at Rose. "Mum, what's happening?" he asked, a hint of fear in his voice.

Rose looked at her worried son. "It's all right. She's just a bit nervous. Right Zo Zo?" Rose said and smoothed a hand up and down her back.

The Doctor knelt down and grasped his daughter by the shoulders. He looked into her blank face. "Come on Zo Zo, give Daddy a smile," he whispered, staring intently at her. Still, there was no response.

He put his finger on her temple and looked over at Rose. "She's shut down. Something's traumatized her. We need to get her out of here and some place calming," he said.

The banging increased. "Not bloody likely," Jake told him as he stood by the door, his gun ready. The Doctor looked at him irritated but knew Jake was right. He didn't like the fact that there was a gun in such close proximity to his children but there was no way Jake would surrender it with aggressive aliens assaulting the house. All he could do was pull his family close and hope for the best. There were other alternatives, terrible things he could do and would do to keep his family safe, but hoped he wouldn't have to.

Rose huddled by him and leaned over to kiss his cheek. She centered him in ways that she couldn't imagine allowing him to calm himself and focus. The Doctor pulled them all as close as he could. No one was going to take his family from him. No one.

A new noise sounded and Rose turned and shined her torch to the back wall. She could hear dirt falling. "What is that?" she said.

The Doctor's breath caught. "No, no, no," he whispered. "It's an old coal chute!" He ran over to the wall and began sonicing it muttering curses under his breath as he fused the metal door and the aliens started banging against it. Rose shook as she watched him seal them in. Jamie's grip tightened and Zoe still just stared. After what seemed like an eternity the noises began to recede until it was once again silent except for a few coughs from Jake due to the dust flying about in the cellar.

They huddled down on the dirt floor. The Doctor held Zoe in his arms and rocked her as he sang some alien lullaby to her. Rose and Jamie sat against a wall just holding each other, trying to ward off the chill of the cellar and staring off into the darkness. Jake would periodically open his phone and try for signal. After about the twentieth try, it worked. He couldn't speak to anyone but he was receiving an internet signal.

"I'm back online!" he shouted. "They're leavin! The ships are leavin! People fought back and they sayd somethin' spooked them off."

"Like wot?" Rose asked, relieved at the good news.

"Don't know. They're not sayin' Might be afraid of lettin' the enemy know about whatever their usin," Jake replied as he tapped out on his phone.

"Might be the weather manipulation they were working on. Malcolm and his team were working on a device to temporarily lower the temperature," the Doctor mused and looked down at Zoe who was still unresponsive. "I haven't heard anything in a while and we need to get Zo Zo out of here."

Rose looked at the Doctor and knew he wasn't entirely comfortable with leaving the protection of the cellar, but Zoe was not improving. She flashed her torch at Jake who nodded his head and began moving their make-shift barrier from the door. They carefully cracked open the door and didn't see anything on the stairs. Light was filtering into the house from the slats of wood on the windows. It was still somewhat dim but at least the sun as out now.

All of them made their way up the stairs into the living room. The Doctor took Zoe into the kitchen while Jake scoped out the second floor. Rose and Jamie looked around the living room before heading into the kitchen. The Doctor had Zoe sitting on the counter and was calling her name while trying to telepathically coax her out. Rose stood next to him while Jamie leaned nervously against the door frame.

Suddenly, Jamie called out, "Dad!"

Zoe let out an ear piercing scream and Rose felt her skin prickle. The Doctor raced out the door toward Jamie. Zoe looked at Rose. "Mummy, I don't like this dream," she said in a shaky voice. Rose grabbed her off the counter and followed the Doctor. She stopped dead still in the living room as she saw the Doctor standing unmoving staring at one of the aliens holding her limp son its arms. It stared at the Doctor and he stared unflinchingly back at him. He held the sonic in his hand and his eyes were black with rage. She heard him say something to the alien in a language she didn't understand.

The alien had some type of device on it's wrist aimed at Jamie. Rose shook in terror. She knew that whatever it pointed at Jamie would kill him. It had already poisoned the dog in the field and she was sure it was quite capable of killing her precious boy. Zoe squeezed her hand but she couldn't stop staring at the alien. She heard her daughter's voice in her head. "Swing Mummy."

Rose's memory flashed and she remembered the baseball bat on the wall. Slowly she reached up for it and held it in her hands. Barking sounded and Fred the german shepherd burst into the room and attacked the alien. It made a hissing noise and threw Jamie aside with a thud and began struggling with the dog soon tossing it aside as well. The Doctor ran to Jamie.

"No one hurts my babies!" Rose screamed at it and ran at with the bat beating at it. It tried to struggle but Rose was pumped with adrenalin and continued smashing the alien and anything in her way. One of Zoe's glasses of water shattered and splashed the alien. It sizzled as if it had been touched with acid. Rose's eyes narrowed. "This is my planet and you fucked with the wrong family!" she shouted, holding the bat up.

The Doctor who was working on Jamie watched what Rose was doing. "It's the water! Rose, the water!" he shouted as he scooped up the unconscious Jamie in his arms and . Rose began smashing the water until the alien was covered with it and the bat was broken. Breathing heavily she backed away and Jake swept in, his gun drawn. Rose turned and grabbed Zoe, running from the house to follow the Doctor. She heard a single gunshot as she left and knew Jake had ended it.

The Doctor had Jamie in the barn and was administering some of the medication he had given to Fred to heal him. Tears were running down the Doctor's face as he pleaded for Jamie to wake up. Rose and Zoe fell down beside him.

"Jamie, please wake up," Rose wept.

"Come on Jamie! Daddy needs you to say something. Come on anything! Please!" the Doctor begged.

Zoe leaned over and whispered to her brother. "Jamie, I need you."

Jamie's eyes fluttered open and he looked up at his father and then Zoe. "Don't cry Zo Zo," he whispered. The Doctor and Rose laughed and cried as they embraced in a family hug. Jake ran in, his mobile in his hand. He paused and murmured a prayer of thanks before joining them and letting them know Torchwood was on the way and he had passed the word along about the water.

When the silent black Torchwood helicopter arrived they were all sitting on the porch packed and ready to go. Jake had found an old super soaker gun in the barn which he filled with water and had ready just in case any more of the aliens decided to cause trouble. The children were laying with Fred the dog, exhausted from their terrifying night.

Pete, jumped out of the helicopter as they walked up to it. He hugged Rose. "Are you all right?" he asked, seeing her pale face. She nodded. He turned to the Doctor who was staring out into the corn fields.

"Why don't you get the kids and Fred here into the helicopter," Rose asked him.

"Fred?" Pete asked.

Rose petted the dog who looked solemnly at her. "He's a hero. Saved Jamie, he did."

Pete nodded and walked everyone back to the transport. Rose grasped the Doctor's hand as he stared out into the field. "You all right?" she asked.

"I'm always all right," he answered.

She cuddled up closer to him. "You know I know that's not true, right?"

He looked down at her and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Rose?"

"Yes, Doctor," she answered.

"I think I've had enough of country life for a while. How 'bout a trip to Chicago, the planet not the city."

"They got chips on this planet?" Rose asked.

He grinned down at her and bumped his forehead to hers. "The best," he promised. They walked hand in hand toward the helicopter and their family including their newest addition, Fred who later that day would be enjoying the best steak dinner any dog could want and certainly the best available in all of time and space.


End file.
